Vehicle



Sept. 28, 1943. G. G. MCNAMARA, .JR

VEHICLE Filed Feb. 12

an ANI@ lllllll ll Patented Sept. 28,1943 Y g '2me foire, smi-refs :eme-nr rotates 4 12;330299; Y *j 'jV i r",vEniiet-ii l Gordon'GLll/icamara, Jr., ChicagoIll.,assignorjy to International HarvesterCompany,',ajcorpof ration'iof Jersey* n E K :Application February 12, IMZrSerialNoe4393666 seniors; (Curse-1211) M i This invention relatesito a' vehicle andfparticularly toa vehicle oftl'ietype commonlyv known y-as an all-purpose truck or trailer. t In a trailer of the typeneferred'toit is common -to'provide a construction including ak pfairfofflongitudinally spaced, wlieeledf'axles connected together by reach means rpermitting relative oscillation between the axles,l so that' the vehicle wheels can adapt -themselves fto:v variations-in ground contour. reachmeans with a pairfof'telescopingwreach members arranged to permit adjustmentthereof for varying the wheel b'asexof thet-railer. rgVari- .ous problems arise in thefconstruction of Aa ltrailer of this type inasmuchras the construction rre.- quires expensive design and the elimination of Aunnecessary structural members'so that the conn` ment; so that oscillation between the axles isperlmitted.

, Another tion in which the hounds ytakethe vdraft forces,

preferably independentlyoftbe -reach means.'` 1

Another object is to provide an improved-Con,-

struction for connecting the reaclntmemberswto-AI rvrelative longitudinal adjustment. y ,Y Y

Still Y `another object is to Y provide-- a Abearing -meansproviding a swivel between the front-and Irear axles for relative oscillation of said axles.

Briefly, and speciiically, these and other imgether for relative angular ymovement andfor It is also common tofprovidethe object-is to provide a'vehicle construc- -whichu aref/ini turni connected itofithef rear." axle.,

' --these neundssservingas tries-ole meansrfontaking portant objects-and features of theinvention are achieved in oneV preferred construction bythe provisionof av pair of transverse axles disposed in longitudinally spaced relation by a-par of. tubllr lar,y telescopic reacl'i-'memberay one reach member being 'secured toeach'axle. The reach members arearranged forlongitudinal adjustmentzto Vary the- Wheelbase between. the :axles and are'ffuri ther 'interconnectedfby an :'.improved yswivel:v lor` bearing means to permitrelat-ive angular movei also connected :toa pair-of fbraCeSsgOrhOuIldS or tube fl isY vconsidera alo-ng the line draft forces. l 1

l1Amompletemriderstamding or tliefinventicnand fcertainimndiedisfnrms therepfimay bei, had imam .fthe.following@detailed:descriptioniitakenii nection .-:withethemaacomnanringasheet :fof raw- .fing, -in which: i y 'g .-flli'igurei 1:.is aiplanfviewp izplleferredlfo mgof `truckfiorV gtraiieriastru me, that'eilfrton ,0f he .nes indcatinaaoextensioni offgthezfreac fsmembenwfol'variation mathe Qimprovedffbearfingeo tration and exposition.ioniF thetypegcommercially known-as arubbertired;allppurpose trailer, and as l.well known. 5to thosey rslnilled .in; the gart,v :uti-` ,1ized in .the haulingof-,agricultural produc'ita.y .for i Ileine.mrijlegsbfeloind aftnuck ontractonoi; similardraft Vehicle. Tha-trailer.. as shown, Vvincludes a. front :reach means .generallwindicatedi l'nyitlaely numeral i4'. ',Ihe front axle v.I ll,.isfc,o'nneoteclQinv any suitable manner.. with; afldraft ,.tfongueJfonly a por- ,tionof which is shown.

A prevferredjforn-ii ofi reach means includesgzan outer tubular reach .member I 5 ,preferably rigidly, A,carried at itsiorwardendbyilon conneced ,togthe :frontaXlerlil. .,Thegconneotingemeans .illustrated includes a-shortlength.,of, pipe.on.;otlier. tulclular` stock I 'I= welded.oraotl'iertvisessecuredgto the-axle .i il, ,and press-,ttedeor telescope@ end bo-lted .into

the forward end of the reach membereliflhe preach .member-:el yextends substantiallyventirely lbetween'ftheyanles' Illfandll 2..,wh`en thewflieelgb'ase' vlof `the ,trailergisfsliortesa The reach meansiny,.eludes a seconder inner .reachlmeinbersi'lpref- Aerably .1 rigidlyfsecured-,g as; by. Welding.; o'iyfbolting,

tothe-rear axle f|2.z diametenof'fthewreach `#Smell/e1: baenfthatfrof the lreach il fiyfandlthemtwo reaches hare,-gteleso-pically tted together. The forward end of the inner reach I8 carries a short tubular member I9 which is press-fitted or otherwise secured to the outer diameter of the reach I8 and provides a bearing slidable in the inner diameter of the outer reach member I6. From the description thus far it will be understood that the outer reach I6 is secured to the front axle IIJ `and that the inner reach I8 is secured to the rear axle I2, the two reaches being thus disposed or arranged for relative longitudinal and angular movement. The outer reach I6 is further secured to the front axle I by a pair of rigidly attached braces or hounds 20,

As best shown in Figures 1 and 2, the, rearward portion of the outer reach I5 is provided with a plurality of pairs of transversely alined openings 2|. These openings provide means for the attachment to the outer reach member I6 of means for connecting that reach to the rear axle I2. This latter means preferably takes the form of a swivel or bearing means, generally indicated at 22.

As best shown in Figure 2, the bearing means includes an inner collar 23 which surrounds the reach I6. Transversely opposed portions of the collar are enlarged and threaded and respectively carry looking means, preferably in the form of a pair of set screws 24. Each looking `means or screw includes a shank portion 25 engageable with a selected opening 2| in the reach I6. It will be understood that the collar 23 may be secured to the reach I6 in any one of the plurality of positions designated by the 1ocations of the pairs of openings 2 I.

A second part of the bearing or swivel means includes an external sleeve or housing comprising a pair of complementary bearing halves 26 adapted to be secured together by bolts 21 to form a bearing unit surrounding the collar 23 and proximate portions of the reach I6. As best shown in Figure 3, the collar 23 includes a pair of longitudinally spaced, opposed radial flanges 28, the outer face of each of which provides a radial bearing surface adapted to engage respectively a complementary bearing surface 29 formed in the interior of the assembled bearing halves 26. Those portions of the bearing halves 26 which surround the reach I6 provide cylindrical bearing surfaces 30 adapted to maintain the bearing unit rotatably upon the reach. The bearing structure just described providesk that the collar 23 is rigidly carried by the reach I6 and is held by the locking means 2d against both longitudinal and angular movement with respect to the reach. The bearing unit provided by the assembly 26, when mounted on the collar 23, is held against longitudinal movement with respect to the reach I6 but may have angular movement with respect to the reach about the longitudinal axis of the reach. The bearing surfaces 28 and 29 of the parts 23 and 26, respectively, take endwise thrust between the parts and apply such thrust to the front reach I6. The bearing surfaces 3B of the bearing unit 26 mount the Vbearing unit in a freely rotatable manner on the reach I6.

In the description thus far it will be noted that there is no connection between the front and rear axles II! and I2 other than that provided by the inner reach IB. It will be further noted that the reach I8 is only slidably and rotatably associated with the front axle IG through the medium ofthe front or outer reach I6. Acn cordingly, it will be seen that draft forces applied to the forward end of the trailer are not transmitted to the rear axle I2 through the inner reach I8. However, according to the present invention, the means for transmitting draft forces between the front half of the trailer and the rear axle comprise a pair of rear brace or hound members 3|. As best shown in Figure 1, each hound is rigidly secured at 32 to an outer portion of the rear axle I2. The forward end of each hound is rigidly secured by bracket means 33 to the bearing unit comprising the complementary bearing halves 26. Since the bearing unit is carried by the collar 23 on the reach I6, the draft forces are applied through the hounds 3| to transversely spaced outermost portions of the rear axle I2. The structural relationship between the reaches I6 and I8 is such that these members are subjected to only vertical forces, such as may be applied by a load on the trailer.

As has been stated previously, the relationship between the collar 23 and parts 26 is such as to provide a bearing which is rotatable with respect to the front reach I5. One of the bearing halves 26 may be, and is here shown as, provided with a suitable lubricant fitting 34 through which lubricant may be supplied to the bearing surfaces 23, 29, and 38. Since the bearing is rotatable with respect to the reach I6 and since the reach I8 is also rotatable with respect to the outer reach, it will be seen that the entire rear of the trailer, including the axle I2, the hounds 3|, and the bearing parts 35, may oscillate with respect to the forward portion of the trailer about the longitudinal axis through the telescopic reaches I6 and I8.

In a modified form of bearing construction, as shown in Figure 4, the outer complementary bearing halves have been designated by the numeral 36, theassociated parts bearing the same reference numerals used heretofore. This modied bearing differs from that previously described in that each bearing half 36 is provided with an opening 37 in its peripheral Wall, this opening, during level relationship between the axles I0 and I2, being transversely alined with the proximate locking means or set screw 24. In this manner access is provided to the locking means so that these means may be loosened or removed to permit adjustment of the collar 23 on the reach I6. In the structure shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3, it is necessary that the bearing halves 26 be disassembled by the removal of the bolts 27, thus providing access to the locking means 24.

In the further modication shown in Figure 5, the complementary bearing halves are indicated by the numeral 46, the other parts bearing the same reference characters used previously. In this structure each of bearing halves 46 includes an inwardly projecting portion or boss IVI.l As will be readily apparent from the drawing, the bosses 41 are respectively adapted to engage the enlarged portions of the collar 23 that carry the locking means 24, thus limiting relative angular movement between the front and rear axles. In other respects the structures shown in Figures 2, 4, and 5 are substantially similar, it being understood that the lubricant fitting 34 may be supplied in either of the other cases, or that thelstop means, comprising the boss 27, may be provided inthe other cases, `or that any other combination of the independent features of each modified form maybe made.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that animproved vehicle construction has been the invention as defined in the appended claims. v

What is claimed is:

1. A vehicle comprising rst and second transverse axles; longitudinal reach means between said axles including longitudinal inner and outer, telescopic and relatively angularly movable reach members; means securing the outer reach member to the first axle; means securing the inner -f reach member to the second axle; a collar carried by the outer reach member for adjustment longitudinally of said reach member; means for securing said collar and outer reach' member against relative longitudinal movement at selectable points along said reach member; means associated with said collar for angular movement with respect to the outer reach member; and means connecting said means to the second axle.

2. A vehicle comprising rst and second transverse axles, reach means disposed longitudinally between the axles and including first and second relatively extendable and relatively angularly movable reach Inembersfmeans connecting the first reach member to the rst axle, means connecting the second reach member to the second axle, a support carried by the first reach member for movement angularly with respect thereto, means adjustably fixing said support against longitudinal movement with respect to said reach member, and means connecting said support and the second axle.

3. A vehicle comprising front and rear transverse axles, a longitudinal, central reach between the axles and including a iirst and second reach part connected together for relative longitudinal adjustment, means connecting the rst reach part to the first axle in both draft-exerting and load-supporting relation, means supporting the other reach part at a central portion of the second axle in only load-supporting relation, and means connecting the first reach part and the second axle in draft-exerting relation.

4l. A vehicle comprising front and rear transverse axles, a longitudinal, central reach between the axles and including a first and second reach part connected together for relative longitudinal adjustment, means connecting the rst reach part to the first axle, means mounting the second reach part and a central portion of the second axle in longitudinally separable relation, and a pair of hound members connected respectively in draft-exerting relation between the first reach part and opposite outer portions of the second axle.

5. A vehicle comprising first and second transverse axles;'longitudinal reach means between said axles including longitudinal inner and outer, telescopic and relatively angularly movable reach members; means securing the outer reach memreach member to the second axle; a lcollar carried by the outer reach member for adjustment longitudinally of said reach member; meansk for securing said collar and outer reach memberk d against relative longitudinal movement at selectable points along said reach member; means carried by said collar for angular movement withv respect to the outer reach member; and includ-yK ing'a pair of complementary bearing halves removably secured together surrounding said kcollar; and a pair of hounds secured respectively between the bearing halves and the second axle.

6. A vehicle comprising rst and second transverse axles; longitudinal reach means between said axles including longitudinal inner and outer, telescopic and relatively angularly movable reach members; means securing the outer reach mem-` ber to the first axle; means securing the inner reach member to the second axle; a collar carried by the outer reach member for adjustment longitudinallyof said reach member; means carried by the collar for locking the collar to the outer reach'member against relative longitudinal movement at selectable points along said reach member; a pair of complementary bearing halves secured together and encircling the collar, the l locking means and an adjacent portion of the outer reach member and associated with the outer reach member for angular' movement with respect thereto; and a pair of hounds connected respectively between the second axle and the bearing halves.

'7 A vehicle comprising first and second transverse axles; longitudinal reach means between said axles including longitudinal inner and outer, telescopic and relatively angularly movable reach members; means securing the outerreach member to the first axle; means securing the inner reach member to the second axle; a collar carried by the outer reach member for adjustment longitudinally of said reach member; means carried by the collar for locking the collar to the outer reach member against relative longitudinal movement at selectable points along said reach member; a bearing member encircling the collar, the locking means and an adjacent portion of the outer reach member and associated with the outer reach member for angular movement with respect' thereto; said bearing member being formed with an opening providing for ac-` cess to the locln'ng means in the collar. 8. 'A vehicle comprising first and second transverse axles; longitudinal reach means between means carried by said collar for angular movement with respect to the outer reach member; and means cooperable with the collar and bearing means for limiting relative angular movement between the two.

` GORDON G. MCNAMARA, JR,

ber to the iirst axle; means securing the inner" 

